Ken Belson, a longtime reporter for the New York Times who began his journalism career in Tokyo, will return to the FCCJ to talk about his new book, Every Day Is Sunday: How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft and Roger Goodell Turned the NFL into a Cultural and Economic Juggernaut.
The book focuses on how the world's biggest league has dominated not just the sports world, but also media and popular culture. The book is based on Belson's work writing about the sports business.
The New York Times chose Every Day Is Sunday as one of the 100 Notable Books of 2025, calling it a "polished, entertaining account of what he aptly calls 'an immensely profitable American religion.'" The talk will be of interest to sports fans, business readers, and the general public.
Belson has covered the business of the NFL and other sports leagues for more than 15 years. He has written about franchise sales, player health and safety, stadiums, media and labor, and many issues driving the most popular sports in the U.S. He was a business reporter in Tokyo covering the Japanese economy. In 2011, he was part of a team that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting for coverage of the Japanese tsunami and nuclear disaster in Fukushima. Belson earned an M.S. with honors from the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University, which he attended on a Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Fellowship. He won the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship for finishing at the top of his class. He co-authored Hello Kitty: The Remarkable Story of Sanrio and the Billion Dollar Feline Phenomenon (Wiley, 2003).
Doors open at 5:45 pm with a casual “meet the author/cocktail time” from 6:00 pm. Dinner will be served from 6:30 pm and the talk begins at 7:15 pm.
The menu is Seafood Caesar Salad, Grilled Pork with Chorizo and Bell Pepper Sauce, Bread, Today's Dessert, Coffee or Tea, and One beverage of choice (orange juice, oolong tea, red or white wine, beer). A vegetarian option is available. Please inform the club of food restrictions when reserving (front@fccj.or.jp). Price: 3,000 yen for members; 4,000 yen for non-members.
Online attendance (Zoom) is available by reservation at 550 yen per person.
The member reservation deadline is 2 pm February 12.
Non-members must reserve and pay by Monday, February 9.
No cancellations after Monday, February 9, 2026.
(The talk will be in English)
Library, Archives & Workroom Committee